To be an electrician in New Jersey you’ll need have a government license which is granted by New Jersey’s State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, located in Newark, as they set the regulations for becoming an electrician in the state.

According to this Board, you need to be at least 21 years of age and have a $1,000 surety bond, as well as, be covered by a general liability insurance policy with a minimum of $300,000 for properly mandated coverage in the state of New Jersey.

If you are applying for the journeyman license you will need at least 4 years of experience as an electricians’ apprentice but there is no test requirement. However, to apply for a master license in NJ you need to have already been a journeyman for a year or more. All licenses and testing require prior approval from the state’s Examiners of Electrical Contractors Board.

Once you have completed all the state’s requirements you will be a license electrical contractor able to engage in business services such as installing, erecting, repairing or altering electrical equipment for the generation, transmission or utilization of electrical energy in New Jersey.

New Jersey Fees

The cost for applying to be an electrician in New Jersey is $100 for the application fee. The 3-year renewal fee of $150 which comes to $50 per year which isn’t bad in high income state like New Jersey. You’ll need the following NJ address to send out those payments:

State Reciprocity in NJ

Unfortunately, New Jersey does not offer any type of reciprocity with other US states. If you are moving to the state of New Jersey this is something that will likely disappoint you. The good news is that the process to become an electrician in the state isn’t overly expensive considering the income you can make from doing electrical related work here.

The New Jersey Exam

You need to be approved beforehand by NJ’s Board to take the state’s licensing test which is known as the Business and Law Exam. This needs to be done at least 120 days prior to taking the test. This requirement only applies to those going for the master license. Journeymen don’t actually need to take the exam as stated above.

The state will mail out a registration form for you to complete and send to the testing organization, Prometric, with the proper fee amount. Then you will be set up to take an exam consisting of 50 questions with a time limit of 2.5 hours and another consisting of 100 questions with a time limit of 4 hours. There could be other parts on the exam as well.

You’ll need to score at least 70% in order to pass the New Jersey exam. You should study topics such as General Electrical Knowledge,Raceways and Enclosures,Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits,Overcurrent Protection,Conductors and Cables,Grounding and Bonding,Equipment for General Use and Special Occupancies.

Other topics include Special Equipment and Conditions,Motors and Controls,Low Voltage and Communications Circuits,Safety for the best results possible. You should also bring the National Electrical Code with you because it is allowed inside the testing rooms for reference which is important.

If you successfully pass this exam you will receive an information packet relating to the state’s licensing information.

Best NJ Cities for Electrical Work

If you are planning a career as an electrician in the state of New Jersey you should know which areas will offer you the most work. The population centers with the highest overall electricity consumption are located in the Northeastern part of the state.

Several other cities and towns in difference areas also offer good employment opportunities including town around Philadelphia. Much of New Jersey is made up of small townships which make up large population centers as a whole. Central New Jersey also is highly populated with some wealthy areas.

Southern New Jersey offers slightly less pay than is typical in Northern New Jersey. In general, the southern part of the state also has a lower population density. Due to the close proximity to New York and Pennsylvania you may want to research those states as well.

If you have lived in NJ for awhile you are likely to know which cities are best for electrical work. Best of luck pursuing a career as a new electrician in the state of New Jersey!

Important New Jersey Study Material

In order to improve your knowledge and increase your potential in the competitive field of electrical work, you should pick up a copy of Prometric’s 2011 book titled New Jersey Electrician’s Manual (the 9th Edition)